Improvement in overshoes or gaiters



O. HOUGHTON. Over Shoe 01' Gaiter.

No. 203,152. Patented A ril 30,1878.

N.PETERS, PHQTD-LITHOQRAPMER, WASHINGTON. D c

UNITED f STAT P NT OFFICE- oHARLEs 'noucnro'mor BosroN, MASSAOHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR TO Mn'nmo SHOE COMPANY.

IMPROVEMENT IN OVEERSHQES OR GAITERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,152, dated April 30, 1878 application filed March 2,1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HOUGHTON, of Boston, county of Sufi'olk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Overshoes or Gaiters, of which the-following is a specification:

This invention relates to an improvement in overshoes or gaiters, or that class of shoe having an india-rnbber sole, coupled or not with an india-rubber foxing to extend about the shoe above the sole, both at the body of the foot and the toe and heel, or either.

The invention consists in a shoe as an improved article of manufacture, it being composed of a seamless upper, made, in the form desired, from wool felted in onepiece, with an india-rubbe'r outer sole affixed.

The upper of this improved shoe is produced by winding a sliver web proceeding from acarding-engine abouta suitably-shaped rotating former, having its axis of rotation with reference to the carding-engine changed at suitable intervals, so as to wind the sliver from end to end upon the former, each successive layer crossing the preceding one. This mass of wool sliver wound upon the former, when of suitable weight, is severed centrally and axially, forming two bats, each of which serves for the production of a shoe. The end of the bat to form the toe of the shoe is then hardened or partially hardened, a cloth being placed inside of it to prevent the inner surfaces adhering to each other.

When the forward end of the bat, which forms the toe of the shoe, is sufficiently hardened, then the open end, which is to form the heel or rear of the shoe, is slit at the top to form an aperture, to receive the foot; and if there is too much wool in this part of the bat to form the heel, a part of it is removed by tearing or cutting, and then the two sides are wrapped by and around each other, closing 'the opening of such end of the bat to form the rear or heel of the shoe, after which it is hardened in any usual manner, thus producing a seamless blank suitable for a shoe, and approximating the form of a shoe. The blank is then shrunk and fulled to the required size,

A shoe to be worn over another shoe havinga heel should be made with a depression for the reception of the heel. To provide for this in the felted seamless shoe, the last on which the shoe is shaped and dried is provided at the under portion of the heel with a projection of the size and form necessary to shapethe blank to receive the shoe-heel. After this seamless shoe-blank has been properly shaped, it has applied to its bottom an indiarubber or gum sole, which is caused to adhere thereto by cement, or in any way suitable to cause rubber or its compounds to adhere to a fibrous fabric.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents, in side elevation, an overgaiter embodying this invention; Fig. 2, an overshoe of lower cut; Fig. 3, a section of Fig. 1 on the line 00 w; and Fig. 4, a detail, to be hereinafter described.

The upper at, including the bottom portion 1), which serves as the inner sole, is formed from wool sliver, in one piece, as hereinbefore described. To such bottom 11 and upper is attached an india-rubber sole, 0, having, if desired, a suitable heel, d, the sole and heel being of any desired thickness and pattern, and being attached to the felt bottom in any suitable or well-known way. If desired, the lower portion of the upper above the solec may be covered with a foXing, d, of india-rubber, such foxing covering either the heel or toe, or both, or extending entirely around the shoe, as shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 the overgaiter has a flap, f, in which may be made button-holes; or it may receive buckles, straps, or other fastenings.

This flap (shown lifted in dotted lines) will, when lowered, lap over the portion of the upper at the instep. This seamless flap f is not herein claimed as of my invention. The portions of this seamless upper to receive buttons or other fastenings, or in which button-holes are to be made may be re-enforoed by pieces of cloth or leather, as at 6, Fig. 4.

I do not claim the method described of makin g and hardening the blank for the shoe.

I claim 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a shoe composed of an upper and bottom felted in one piece, as described, and an india-rubber Foley, substantially as and for the purpose set 2. A shoe composed of an upper, a, and bottom I), in one integral piece, combined with an outer sole, of india-rubber, and a foxing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. OHS. HOUGHTON.

Witnesses:

G. W. GREGORY, L. A. BAXTER. 

